Hem setting tool



June 6, 1961 F. A. NASH HEM SETTING TOOL Filed Aug. 19, 1958 FIG.

FIG. 3

FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

FELIX A. NASH BY @M7W/ ATTYS.

FIG. 4

United States Patent 2,986,817 HEM SETTING TOOL Felix A. Nash, 5735 SE. 23rd Ave., Portland 2, Oregon Filed Aug. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 755,977 9 Claims. (Cl. 33-2) This invention relates to a sewing aid, and more particularly to a tool or gauge piece useful in setting up the hem of a dress or other cloth piece. Use of a tool constructed according to this invention materially reduces the work operations which a seamstress or sewer must perform in preparing a hem, of almost any description, in a piece of cloth.

The usual method of preparing a hem in a piece of cloth is first to turn over a raw edge of the cloth, or otherwise prepare the raw edge so as to prevent it from unraveling. If the raw edge is turned over, rather than taped, it is folded and held in position by pins or basting. The hem is finished by then turning over a larger fold of material, using chalk lines and measuring the amount of material folded over, pinning or basting the hem in position, and then stitching the hem. The operations which are performed are numerous and quite tedious. In the case of the more inexperienced sewers, it is difiicult to obtain an even hem.

This invention concerns a novel tool or gauge with side edges configured so as to enable the tool to be used as a guide in setting up a hem with the aid of an iron or other pressing device. In using the tool, the amount of material to be folded over in the hem is measured directly on the tool, by folding the material over an edge of the tool using calibration lines imprinted thereon. A crease may then be made down the fold line, and the hem thereafter sewn without basting, marking or pinning.

. In constructing a tool of this description, a number of critical factors have been considered in order that a useful and operative tool result. The body of the tool or gauge is made from a thin sheet of material, and the sheet body is dimensionably stable to enable it to stand up under continued use. Frequently a steam iron is employed for pressing, and a tool comprised of cardboard or similar absorbent material would soon disintegrate during use. The body of the tool is comprised of a warp resistant material which will hold its edge, as in making a crease, an iron is brought inwardly across the edge of the tool towards its center and the tool must withstand peripheral edge heating.

It is preferred that a heat conductive material be employed for the body of the tool. The heat conductive body of the tool transfers heat applied to the cloth covering one face to the cloth adjacent the other face, and thus a better crease results. While preferably the tool body is heat conductive, it is also made to dissipate heat readily so as to protect the hands of a user from burning.

Another feature of the invention is a preferred method of marking the tool. The calibration markings made on the tool are printed in such a manner as to remain substantially permanent throughout the useful life of the tool.

The side edges of the tool are configured so as to reduce to a minimum measurements which must be performed in using the tool, and shifting and replacement of the tool as the hem progresses. It has been found in the dressmaking art that the largest portion of the bottom hems of dresses are prepared by curving the hems about a circle of substantially 30 inch radius. One of the edges of the tool therefore is of curved outline, and curved about substantially a 30 inch radius. This curved edge joins at one of its ends with a straight edge. The radial center of the curved edge lies on a lineal extension of this straight edge. Thus, the tool may be flipped over, using the aforementioned straight edge as a fulcrtnn or pivot ice point, with the curved edge occupying after turning of the tool a position which is an even, perfectly curved extension of the edge in its first position.

Cooperating with the curved edge of the tool are a series of elongated, calibration lines imprinted on both faces of the tool. These lines curve about a radial cen: ter which is coincident with the radial center of the curved edge. Further, the lines on one face complement the lines on the other face, i.e., pairs of lines on opposite faces have the same radius of curvature. When the tool is used to set up a curved hem, material may be folded over one face until the edge of the material lies next to a calibration line. A hem crease is then made with an iron, and when this has been done over the entire length of the curved edge, the tool is flipped over, and the hem may be continued, using calibrations on the newly exposed face of the tool, without any shifting of the tool proper. 7

Other features of the invention include the provision of a pair of straight edges which meet at right angles. The straight edges enable the use of the tool as a square. Markings extend at regular modular distances over both faces of the tool progressing outwardly from where the two edges meet so that the tool may be used for measuring. One of the straight edges may be used as a fulcrum in flipping the tool when preparing a long straight edge, much in the same manner as the method discussed in connection with making a curved edge. Complementing calibration lines on both faces of the tool are provided for use with the straight edges. Further, rounded corner edge portions are provided so that the tool may be used' in preparing curved hems of small radius, pockets, and the like. These rounded corner edge portions tangentially meet with the elongated edges of the tool, so that the contour of the tool is smooth and continuous, and without,

concave curvature.

The invention is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates one face of a hem setting tool con-' structed according to an embodiment of this invention; FIG. 2 illustrates the other face of the hem setting so that a sharp crease can be formed when pressing cloth around the edges of the tool.

Three of the marginal edges of the tool are linear, as exemplified by edges 17, 18 and 19. Edge 19 is perpen-j' dicular or at right angles to edge 18, and similarly edge' 17 is prependicular to edge 18. The other edge 16 curves. convexly over a long sweep, about a radial center which is disposed on a lineal extension of straight edge 17 1 (shown at 20). Since in dressmaking many dresses havea curved hem along their base approximating a 30 inch radius, edge 16 curves about a 30 inch radius.

It is important that edge 16 curve about a radius whichlies on a lineal extension of edge 17. By so curving the edge, when the plate is turned on edge 17 to expose its under face, as shown by the dotted outline in FIG. 1,

edge 16 occupies a position which is a smooth continua-- tion of its old position. Thus, a relatively large arc of a circle may be outlined without major rearrangement of the tool, but merely flipping it over using edge 17 as thev pivot.

Curved edge 16 joins with straight edge 19, and straight edge 19 joins with straight edge 18 through corner edge portions indicated at 21 and 22, respectively. These corner edge portions curve about radial centers which are disposed inwardly from the margins of the tool sufficiently to enable the corner edge portions to how smoothly into and meet tangentially the elongated edges which they m.

The. radii of the two corner edge portions are not equal. Thus, corner edge portion 21 has a larger radius than corner edge portion 2. These corner edge portions are used in the preparation of pockets and curved hems of small radius. The corner edge portion of larger radius joins obliquely extending elongated edges 16, 19 rather than edges 18, 19; as edge 19 is sometimes used as a pivot edge in making straight hems, and a corner approaching a right angle is preferable at this location.

Edge 16 joins straight edge 17 in a tightly rounded corner 23, which may also be used in the preparation of a pocket or tightly rounded hem. However, a primary purpose for this slight rounding is to prevent snagging of the corner with the material of a workpiece when the tool is flipped over along edge 17. In the making of a rounded hem, rounded edge 16 will have a folded flap of cloth lying thereover, and this folded cloth may tend to snag upon a sharpened corner.

Referring to FIG. 1, the face of the gauge shown in the figure has extending thereover a series of curved calibration lines 26. These lines are reference lines, and are used in measuring hem widths. The lines are set as measured distances from edge 16, each at a uniform distance through a substantial part of its length from edge 16. In making a curved hem, a sewer turns over a fold of material until the terminal edge thereof lies superimposed directly along a line. When this is done, and a crease made with an iron, the fold produced will have a uniform width throughout its length. If a hem having a width not exactly conforming to the spacing of the lines is desired, it is a simple matter to interpolate between two lines.

Sets of lines 27 and sets of lines 28 are extensions of some of the lines 26, which continue lines 26 around three sides of the tool. These are used as an aid in setting up corners and tight curves, and when edges 19 and 18 of the tool are used. In the ordinary instance when a tightly curved hem is formed, the hem will not have an extremely large width.

0n the other face of the tool shown in FIG. 2 there is provided a series of calibration lines 30 which are spaced parallel to straight edge 18. These assist the sewer in making a straight hem of varying width, and are set at measured distances from edge 18. Some of the lines complement lines 28, and thus are used when the tool is flipped on edge 17. Superimposed over calibration lines 30 is a set of lines 36 corresponding to lines 26 on the other face of the tool. When the tool is flipped from the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 to the position shown in dotted lines, lines 36 form a continuation of lines 26. As in the case of a few of the lines 26, some of the lines 30 on the opposite face of the tool are continued around the tool, by lines 37, 38, 39.

Since many hems are started at a measured distance from a seam line, the tool is provided along its rightangled straight edges 17, 18 with measuring indicii 41, 42 respectively. Indicii 41, 42 are set at regular modules progressing outwardly from the right-angled joint of the two edges. Thus, these two edges of the tool may be used as a square when measuring.

a It is contemplated that body 11 of the tool be comprised of stiff and resilient, dimensionally heatand moisture-stable material, and that markings made thereon be put on in substantially a permanent manner. Various materials and methods of marking may be satisfactory, however, I have discovered a particular material and manner of marking the same which is eminently satisfactory and has several particular advantages. Thus, in my preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that the tool be comprised of anodized aluminum, and that the markings prepared thereon take the form of imprinted dye markings.

By the use of an anodized aluminum material, i.e., aluminum with an anodic oxidation product formed on its surface (aluminum oxide), several important advantages accrue. The material is warp resistant, and takes peripheral heating without material deformation. The surface is hardened, which tends slightly to stiffen the tool and prevent inadvertent bending, and make it abrasive resistant. The surface in addition is made slightly porous. This promotes heat dissipation. Further, dye markings made thereon permeate the porous surface, thereby to be rendered substantially permanent. Any suitable dyes may be used for printing, such as the Nigrosine dyes, which are well known in the art.

In using the tool in making a curved hem with edge 16, the tool may be placed on the cloth, as shown in FIG. 3, and material folded over the edge used until the edge of the material meets the desired calibration line. A steam iron is then passed over the guide edge of the tool, moving it inwardly over the edge to form a crease. (If a wool material is used, excess material formed by the curve may be taken up by heat shrinking without folding. However, with some fabrics folds may be necessary.) When an edge has been creased along the length of the tool, the iron is removed and the tool turned or flipped along straight edge 18 to expose the other face of the tool. Additional material may then be folded over and creased as before. It will be noted that in this manner, a perfectly circular hem is produced.

If a hem curving about an arc of slightly more or less than a 30 inch radius is desired, the tool is shifted slightly, as in using a French curve. However, in most instances the amount of shift necessary will be quite small. The base curves of certain dresses, and the curve of a lapel, for instance, usually are not curved about a 30 inch radius. In preparing a straight edge, the same system may be used, only edge 18 is used as the guide edge and the tool is pivoted or flipped about straight edge 17.

When making a pocket, the tool is used as shown in FIG. 4. Material is folded over one of the corner edge portions, and creased with the tool inserted in the flaps of material. If desired, the creased edge may be sharpened by removing the tool and then reironing the crease already made.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. As an article of manufacture, a hem setting tool comprising a thin sheet of relatively stitf, nonwaterabsorbent material bounded around the margins thereof with plural, smoothly con-toured edges, said tool having at least one straight edge joining at one of its ends with a convexly curved edge, said curved edge curving about a radial center lying on a lineal extension of said one straight edge, said tool having over each of its faces a convexly curved calibration line curved about said radial center, the radius of curvature of said calibration lines being equal.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said tool comprises a thin sheet of anodized aluminum, and wherein said calibration lines are dyed imprints on the faces of the sheet.

3. As an article of manufacture, a hem setting tool comprising a thin sheet of relatively stiff, dimensionally heatand moisture-stable material, said sheet beingv bounded around the margins thereof with four elongated and smoothly contoured edges, a pair of said edges being. substantially linear and joining at a right-angled joint, one of the other of said edges being convexly curved and curving about a radial center lying on a lineal extension of one of said pair of edges, the other of said other edges beingv substantially linear and parallel with said one of said pair of edges, said curvingedge joining with said other of said other edges and'the latter edge joining with the other of said pair of edges through curved corner edge portions having radii substantially smaller than the radius of said curving edge, the radii of said curved corner portions being unequal.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein each of said pair of edges is calibrated along its length with markings set at regular modules progressing outwardly from said rightangled joint.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein there is provided over each face of the sheet plural convexly curving calibration lines, each of the latter curving about said radial center, each calibration line over one face of the sheet having a corresponding calibration line over the other face of the sheet which has the same radius of curvature.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said sheet is comprised of anodized aluminum and wherein said calibration lines are dyed imprints on the faces of the sheet.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein there is provided over at least one face a calibration li-ne extending around substantially the entire margin of the sheet, but set in from the edges of the sheet a uniform distance throughout the length of the line.

8. As an article of manufacture, a hem setting tool comprising a thin, nonperforate sheet of relatively stiff, nonwater-absorbent material with fiat faces over both sides and bounded around the margins thereof with plural, smoothly contoured edges, said tool having at least one straight edge joining at one of its ends with a conveXly curved edge, said curved edge curving about a radial center lying on a lineal extension of said one straight edge, said tool having over each of its faces a convexly curved calibration line curving about said radial center, the radius of curvature of said calibration lines being equal.

9. As an article of manufacture, a hem setting tool comprising a thin, nonperforate sheet of relatively stiff, dimensionally heatand moisture-stable material with flat faces over both sides, said sheet being bounded around the margins thereof with four elongated and smoothly contoured edges, a pair of said edges being substantially linear and joining at a right-angled joint, one of the other of said edges being convexly curved and curving about a radial center lying on a lineal extension of one of said pair of edges, the other of said other edges being substantially linear and parallel with said one of said pair of edges, said curving edge joining with said other of said other edges and the latter edge joining with the other of said pair of edges through curved corner edge portions having radii substantially smaller than the radius of said curving edge, the radii of said curved corner portions being unequal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 141,645 Home Aug. 12, 1873 1,249,132 Leavens Dec. 4, 1917 2,171,504 Keuffel Aug. 29, 1939 2,814,116 Goodman Nov. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,290 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1889 

